What a yes or a no vote means on RSU 19 loan request

NEWPORT, Maine (NEWS CENTER)-- Election night will be an important night for Regional School Unit 19 including Newport and seven surrounding towns. Voters will decide if the district should take out a $3.6 million loan.

RSU 19 superintendent Greg Potter said if the district does not get the loan it will have to make a series of cuts totaling around $800,000 which would include winter and spring J.V. athletics and around 20 jobs would be cut, and those cuts would go into place starting November 7th.

However, if the district does get the loan, it would not have to make further cuts and operate as it currently is.

"It will allow the district to start planning that next year's budget in a way that is going to be very responsible, and I'm optimistic to lower some of the costs that could even mitigate the impact of the loan," Potter said.

If voters do pass the loan, they will have to pay it back over the next 10 years. That will mean something different depending on which one of the eight towns in the district voters live in.